For neat appearance and for safety around equipment which can catch loose garments, the tails of upper garments, such as shirts and blouses, are conventionally tucked into the lower garment of a wearer. However, moderate activity such as raising of the wearers arms or sitting and standing frequently pulls the shirttails from a fully tucked-in position and sometimes the shirttails become completely untucked. Thus, there is a need for a device which will retain the tails of a shirt, blouse or other upper garment in a tucked-in position.
Others have attempted to provide such a device. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,364 to Lucero discloses a hold-down device for shirts, blouses, etc. comprising an elastic hip band to be worn around the hips. An elastic front and rear flap is secured to the hip band and both converge downwardly to fit the crotch of the wearer. An upper garment is attached to the hold-down device by a plurality of upstanding tabs spaced around the hip band. Although the Lucero patent recognizes the problems associated with maintaining a tucked-in position of shirttails and blouses, it has deficiencies.
For example, the Lucero device utilizes a relatively large quantity of material to comprise its support structure which increases its cost. Similarly the structure requires a relatively complex connecting structure for the end user to put on and secure to a shirttail. The waist band adds undesirably to the girth of the wearer. Also, the structure of the device, specifically the front flap, covers the genitals. This becomes a problem when the normal forces, which tend to untuck the shirttail, pull up on the flap and impinge uncomfortably on the genitals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,569 to Campbell discloses a shirt hold-down device for diaper-wearing infants and toddlers. This device has an elongated elastic unit fitting between the legs, over a diaper and has garter-type fasteners on each end for gripping the shirt of the infant. The garment comprises an inside and outside fabric panel, with four anchor loops and four detachable garter-type fasteners. The Campbell device suffers some of the same deficiencies as the Lucero device. For example, the panels cover the genital area. Although, this may not be a problem when used with the padded diaper of an infant it could be a problem for use on older children or adults.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,886 to Ellis discloses another accessory for children's or infants' clothing comprising a hold-down device of elasticized fabric having a relatively wide elongated central panel portion from which straps extend. This panel portion could also impinge uncomfortably upon the genitals.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome these deficiencies and to provide a shirttail retaining harness which: is comfortable; utilizes a minimum of materials and manufacturing effort; and, requires minimum effort for usage by a wearer. Specifically it is an object to provide a shirt-tail retaining harness which is adjustable, is lightweight, and does not impinge on the genital area of the wearer.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a means of attaching the harness securely to a shirttail without damaging the material thereof.